1. This film is based on a Thomas Cobb novel that was first published over two decades ago. Still, sadly, it’s bound to be seen as a copycat of last year’s “The Wrestler” because their themes are similar: a washed-up and broke alcoholic falls in love with a younger single mom who is able to look past all of his faults and see the real him. But don’t be fooled by reviews, because there are also enough differences between the two films to make “Crazy Heart” unique.

2. I like every single character in this film, from the broken country music legend (Jeff Bridges), to the small-town single mom/reporter (Maggie Gyllenhaal), to the young hot shot country star (Colin Farrell), to the friendly bartender (Robert Duvall). Each and every character is realistic and redeeming, which is a breath of fresh air in movies these days.

3. Even though I’m not really a fan of contemporary country, the music in this film isn’t all that bad. They easily could have filled the movie with some generic, run-of-the-mill shit-kicker country, but instead chose to create a catalog of original tunes for Bridges’ character, Bad Blake. Both Bridges and Farrell even sing their own songs, and should be given additional props for doing so.

4. There are some pretty graphic sex scenes between Bridges and Gyllenhaal, which makes me want to say, “Fuck yeah, Jeff Bridges! High-five!”

5. The first scene of the film shows Jeff Bridges saddling up at a bar in a bowling alley. Ah… sweet nostalgia.